A sort of follow-up to a tasting we had in early 2020 - this one was in May 2021, with a partially different set of people but with the same theme: still red and whites from Champagne. Unlike last time, we had a few disappointments this time around, but nevertheless the overall quality was really good. Considering how many people think Coteaux Champenois are nothing more than an afterthought for the Champagne producers, the wines might feel a bit pricey for what they are, but I must say that the best ones really do offer solid value for the money.
We also had a Sonoma Viognier as an “aperitif” before the main course of ten bottles, but unfortunately it didn’t make it to the photo lineup.
-
2014 Cline Cellars Viognier Estate Grown Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (14.5.2021)
Aged in stainless steel (2/3) and neutral oak barriques (1/3). 14% alcohol.
Pale straw yellow color. Big, sweetish and somewhat tropical nose with heady aromas of apricots, wax and some alcohol, a little bit of earthy spice, light savory notes of old wood, an evolved hint of wizened golden apples and a touch of poached pear. The wine feels ripe, round and full-bodied on the palate with slightly sweet-toned flavors of peach, spicy red apple, some wizened apricots, a little bit of savory old wood, light creamy tones and a subtle hint of vanilla. The high alcohol lends a bit of warmth to the palate. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but doesn’t lend much sense of freshness to the wine. The finish is juicy, dry-ish and slightly warm with medium-long flavors of white peach and ripe apricots, some wizened apple tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light woody tones and a hint of beeswax.
A somewhat pleasant Viognier that certainly shows the varietal qualities (lush apricot tones, spicy undertones and modest acidity), but comes across as a bit dull and stuffy - I guess it’s just the barrel-aging component. Even though the barrels are old, they still seem to contribute some woody tones to the wine, and at least in my books oaky notes don’t seem to go hand in hand with Viognier. The wine is not overdone in any way, but it’s not a bullseye either. Overall the lush, somewhat sweet-toned and slightly fat overall character reminds me quite a bit of Alsatian Pinot Gris - only with a slightly more tropical and subtly woody flavor. (85 pts.)
-
2015 Dehours Coteaux Champenois Les Vignes de Mizy - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
The fruit comes from old Chardonnay vines that were harvested at the end of the harvest at peak ripeness. Aged for 23 months on the lees in 200-300 liter oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered on August 30th, 2017. Total production 1334 bottles. 12% alcohol.
Pale yellow color. Very high-toned and slightly green nose with aromas of Granny Smith apple, some dull reductive notes of canned asparagus, light pithy notes of lemon, a little bit of sappy willow bark greenness, a hint of pickle juice and a touch of savory wood spice. Contrasting the nose, the wine feels ripe and juicy on the palate with a medium body and precise flavors of lemony citrus fruit, tangy salinity, some zesty grapefruit, light creamy notes of oak, a little bit of sappy herbal greenness, a hint of pickle juice and a sweeter touch of ripe white peach. The acidity feels high and precise, although the ripe and juicy fruit gives a good counterpoint to the racy acidity. The finish is crisp, long and mouth-cleansing with bright flavors of sweet golden apples, some sappy herbal spice, a little bit of chalky minerality, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of zesty lemon and a touch of salinity.
The nose here was quite a let-down with the not-entirely pleasant green aromas. However, on the palate the wine is miles better and even though there’s a hint of greenness on the palate as well, these green notes meld so much better with the ripe fruit notes. The combination of sappy greenness and obvious fruit ripeness is pretty confusing here. Perhaps the wine is just a bit too young and suffering from some reduction at the moment (which is not surprising after 23 months on the lees…) so there’s a good chance the wine will turn out better with age. Let it wait for some years in a cellar and hopefully it will drop its greenness with age - as I expect the green tones to be result of subtle reduction, not vegetal unripeness. Although the wine didn’t win me fully over now, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found this wine lovely after it has picked up some age. Feels a bit too expensive for its quality at 39,95€. (88 pts.)
-
2017 Robert Moncuit Coteaux Champenois Blanc Le Mesnil-sur-Oger - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay. Aged in oak barrels for 9 months. Bottled unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels fresh and crunchy yet at the same time somewhat oaky with aromas of Granny Smith apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of toasty caramel character, light leesy notes of yeast, a sweet hint of ripe white fruits and a touch of chalk dust. Despite the somewhat oak influence, the overall feel is very harmonious and quite attractive. The wine comes across ripe, juicy and even somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium body and lively - even slightly Burgundian - flavors of sweet golden apples, creamy oak, some ripe lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light reductive notes of gunpowder smoke, mineral hints of chalk and salinity and a touch of vanilla. The racy acidity lends great - almost electric - intensity to the sleek mouthfeel of the wine. The finish is long, crisp and mouth-cleansing with layered flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits, some apple peel bitterness, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light toasty oak tones and a sweeter hint of ripe white fruits.
A harmonious, classically built and wonderfully crisp Coteaux Champenois that feels like it has one foot in Burgundy while the other is firmly in Champagne. There’s some Burgundian or even Chablisienne quality to the wine with its somewhat noticeable yet not overdone oak influence and subtly smoky reductive nuances, yet the sharpness of the lemony citrus fruit, intensity of the acidity and the saline mineral tones make it obvious that this is from Champagne. Overall the wine feels still very youthful and even somewhat nervous; while quite enjoyable already now, I’d say this will benefit a lot from further aging. Let the wine wait for at least a handful of years, although I have a hunch this won’t be showing its best until 10-15 years from the vintage. Fine stuff, priced according to its quality at 49,95€. (93 pts.)
-
2017 Jacques Lassaigne Coteaux Champenois Blanc Haut Revers du Chutat - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
A Coteaux Champenois Blanc from the Haut Revers du Chutat vineyard planted in 1968. Made only in vintages when the grapes in this vineyard produce too much sugar to produce balanced Champagnes. The wine sees only a little bit of sulfites during the crush, otherwise vinified completely without sulfite additions or chaptalisation. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 24 months in old oak fûts and demi-muids. Lot 072019, 12% alcohol.
Intense yet rather pale yellow color. Cool and restrained yet pleasantly fine-tuned nose with aromas of juicy golden apples and cantaloupe, some leesy notes of creaminess, light mineral gunmetal tones, a little bit of chalk dust, a zesty hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of quince. The wine is lively, crisp and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with perhaps a slightest tingle of CO2. Focused, dry flavors of pronounced saline minerality and leesy character, tart lemony citrus fruits, some crisp Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of creaminess, light sappy herbal tones without any obvious green nuances and a hint of crunchy quince. The bracing acidity lends wonderful, electric intensity and sense of focus to the wine. The long finish is crisp and very mineral with mouth-cleansing flavors of tangy citrus fruits like lemon and pomelo, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light chalky mineral notes and a hint of apple peel bitterness.
A very intense, crisp and electric Coteaux Champenois. Still very lean, linear and high-strung, but shows tremendous amounts of promise. I can imagine this will gain depth and sense of weight wonderfully as it matures and unwinds, although it can take quite some time. Fortunately the wine feels like it is built to age. Perhaps the best vintage of Haut Revers du Chutat I’ve tasted. However, at 64,95€ the wine is starting to feel a bit pricey. (92 pts.)
-
2016 Marc HĂ©brart Coteaux Champenois Blanc - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
Made with fruit sourced from the Le LĂ©on vineyard in Dizy, rated 1er Cru - although the labels do not say anything about this. The labels do not tell the vintage, either, but according to the shop this wine was bought from, this is 2016. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for 18 months, no MLF, bottled unfined and unfiltered on 3rd of May, 2018. Total production 1169 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
Very neutral, almost fully colorless pale yellow appearance. Ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and quite pleasant but also rather understated nose with light aromas of white peach and fresh pear, some cantaloupe, light leesy notes of creaminess, a little bit of white pepper and a hint of something waxy. The wine is ripe, juicy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with the slightest hint of CO2 tingle. Flavors of white currant, some red apple and white peach, a little bit of something waxy, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of honeyed richness and a slightly brackish touch of salty minerality. Moderately high in acidity. The finish is juicy, moderately high in acidity and quite long with a bit linear aftertaste of fresh red apples and cantaloupe, some waxy tones, a little bit of creaminess, light notes of pear and a slightest hint of old oak spice.
A nice, balanced and tasty but also somewhat linear and one-dimensional Coteaux Champenois that lacks the verve and depth of the best examples in the genre. Of course it’s possible the wine is just in a slump right now and it will open up with age, so perhaps it’s not best to open the wine in the next year or two. A pleasant effort, but doesn’t manage to leave a lasting impression - at least for now. Feels pretty expensive for its quality at 52,95€. (87 pts.)
-
NV Laurent-Perrier Coteaux Champenois Blanc de Blancs de Chardonnay - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
No mention of vintage or ABV% in the label. However, based on the label design, the wine must be from 1974-1982 and most probably from the early 1980’s.
Medium-deep burnished golden color. Complex, mature and moderately toasty nose with a seductive bouquet of browned butter, salty ocean air, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of toasty autolysis, light mushroomy tones, a hint of damp wool and a touch of bruised apple. The wine is lively, light-to-medium-bodied and quite structured on the palate with complex, fully mature flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and bruised red apple, some autolytic notes of roasted nuts, a little bit of browned butter, light creamy tones, a hint of toasted bread and a tangy touch of saline minerality. The racy acidity lends great sense of structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and mouth-cleansing with complex, layered flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits and Granny Smith apple, some tangy salinity, a little bit of autolytic toasty character, light umami notes of kombu, a tertiary hint of smoke and roasted nuts and a touch of bruised butter that lingers on the tongue after the fruit flavors have faded away.
A fantastic, wonderfully developed Coteaux Champenois. At first the nose seemed too tertiary and over the hill, but the wine just called for a bit of breathing and after a short while the wine was firing on all cylinders. On the palate the wine is definitely aged, but still surprisingly youthful for its age. Reminds me a lot of well-aged 1er Cru or Grand Cru Chablis. Won’t improve in a cellar, but will keep for some time more. Excellent stuff and a screaming bargain at mere 30€. (95 pts.)
-
NV Drappier Coteaux Champenois Urville Rouge - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
Made with organically farmed Pinot Noir, fermented and macerated for 2 weeks. Bottled with a minimal SO2 addition. No mention of the vintage nor even any obvious lot number on the label. 12% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep and quite translucent ruby-red color with an evolved brick-red hue towards the rim. Red-toned and somewhat wild nose with aromas of ripe cranberries and fresh lingonberries, some bretty funk, a little bit of lifted orange rind character, light sappy herbal notes, a hint of leather and a sweet touch of VA that lends a somewhat liqueur-ish nuance to the nose. The overall feel is rather natty and makes me think that this wine might turn mousy with air. The wine feels lively, playful and rather sappy on the palate with a rather light body and somewhat natty flavors of crunchy cranberries and lingonberries, some ripe raspberries, a little bit of phenolic spice, light bretty notes of leather and barnyard, a hint of orange rind and a touch of tart and sappy - almost unripe - red fruit. The structure relies mostly on the quite high acidity, not on the rather gentle tannins that bring only a bit of firmness to the mouthfeel. Despite the almost unripe undertone in the fruit, the wine still comes across as quite ripe and silky. The finish is dry, moderately acid-driven and quite crunchy with rather long flavors of tart cranberries and lingonberries, some bretty notes of fragrant exotic spices and phenolic smoke, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light sweeter nuances of ripe raspberry and a hint of beet root.
At first the wine felt rather weird, natty and even somewhat dull, but it has its nice, crunchy side and it does move into better direction as it opens up - the sauvage qualities don’t dominate, but instead the fruit grows a bit in intensity, bringing some sense of balance to the wine. However, due to the natty overall character of the wine, it’s quite hard to recognize the wine for a Coteaux Champenois - if served blind, this would feel like any anonymous natural wine with no obvious sense of place. Aging-wise the wine seems to hold some potential for future development, but as the bottle bears no indication of vintage or anything that could help in assessing the age of the wine, it’s impossible to say anything conclusive at which point the wine would be at its best. (86 pts.)
-
2015 Philipponnat Coteaux Champenois Rouge Mareuil - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
100% Pinot Noir from the lieu-dit Valofroy, located right next to the legendary Clos des Goisses. After strict selection of the ripe grapes, the grapes are crushed and cold-soaked before the fermentation. After the fermentation the wine is aged for 2 years in 500-liter demi-muids. 12% alcohol.
Luminous, moderately translucent and quite dark ruby red color with youthful, subtly blue highlights. Fresh, crunchy and slightly wild nose with somewhat dark-toned aromas of tart forest fruits, some black raspberries, a little bit of sappy leafy character, light notes of beet root, a sweet hint of wild strawberry and a touch of earth. At times a subtle whiff of green geosmin character seems to rear its head, lending a slightly vegetal note to the wine. The wine is light-to-medium-bodied and surprisingly tough on the palate with somewhat closed and underwhelming flavors of clayey earth, some black cherries, a little bit of leathery funk, light beet root notes, a hint of phenolic spice and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The medium acidity feels surprisingly soft for a Coteaux Champenois, so the structure relies on the relatively grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is tough and somewhat clumsy with moderately pronounced tannic grip and medium-long flavors of earth, tart lingonberries, some tart dark berries, a little bit of woody spice, light leathery notes, a hint of brambly black raspberry and a touch of dry, phenolic spice.
I wonder if this wine was just in a dull and closed phase or if it is supposed to be like this. As a whole it seems to be slightly off balance: normally Coteaux Champenois are very high in acidity, but this wine seemed relatively low in acidity for a Pinot Noir; the fruit department feels somewhat closed and understated with more emphasis on spicy and slightly bitter non-fruit flavors; the tannins are quite tough and rustic, not entirely balanced in relation to the fruit; and finally there seems to be a slightly vegetal hint of green geosmin in the nose, which really doesn’t benefit the wine one bit. Although I enjoyed the unapologetic tannic grip here, it still seemed to call for more fruit and intensity of taste to balance the tannins out. It’s always possible this was an off bottle or the wine was caught in a slump, where the fruit flavors were muted. However, based on how it performed today, I’m not really convinced. Not too pricey for a Coteaux Champenois at 39,95€, but I wouldn’t say the wine delivered for the price. (84 pts.)
-
2018 Fleury Pere & Fils Coteaux Champenois Rouge - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
Made with biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir, partly from very old (+50 yo) vines grown in lieu-dit Replat Champraux. Macerated with the skins for 15 days. Aged for 1 year in oak barrels. Lot L018, 12% alcohol.
Quite dark yet moderately translucent cherry red with a hint of youthful purple. Clean, ripe and somewhat brooding nose with dark-toned, slightly sweetish aromas of black cherries and juicy dark berries, some wild strawberry, light funky notes of leather and something waxy and a hint of exotic spices. The nose isn’t particularly bold or expressive, but nevertheless pleasantly nuanced and quite seductive. The wine feels dry, focused and balanced on the palate with a medium body and flavors that emphasize classic Pinosity: black raspberries and fresh cranberries, some earth, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral tones, a sweeter hint of wild strawberry and a funky touch of old leather. The overall feel is sinewy and moderately structured with the fresh, high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is clean, dry and rather acid-driven with long flavors of tart cranberries and sweeter wild strawberries, some brambly raspberry tones, light notes of ripe dark forest fruits, a little bit of phenolic spice, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of leathery funk.
A wonderfully serious Pinot Noir that isn’t a simple crowdpleaser, but instead a surprisingly Burgundian effort for a Coteaux Champenois. Although there seems to a very slightly funky undercurrent of bretty funk, the overall feel is beautifully clean and even quite intense without having anything in excess nor lacking in any department. Drinking really well right now, but most likely this will continue to improve for another 5-8 years, if not even longer. Terrific value at 34,95€, recommended. (92 pts.)
-
2016 Bourgeois-Diaz Coteaux Champenois BD’LP Les Pinots - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
A blend of Pinot Meunier (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%). Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, aged first for 3 months in stainless steel tanks, then racked into 500-liter amphorae to age for further 5 months. Bottled on 18th of April 2017. 12% alcohol. Total production 1530 bottles.
Translucent yet somewhat dark, a bit hazy and slightly evolved black cherry color. Somewhat reductive, quite closed and rather understated nose with a bit dull aromas of charred meat, some rubbery tones, a little bit of redcurrant, a hint of sausage and a touch of clay. Even quite a bit of aeration the nose doesn’t seem to open up - only a hint of burnt hair seems to emerge. The wine is crisp, lively and acid-driven on the palate with a light body and a faint hint of CO2 prickle that disappears quite quickly. The flavors seem somewhat closed with notes of redcurrants, gamey meat, a little bit of licorice root, light crunchy notes of crowberries, a reductive hint of burnt rubber and a touch of clayey earth. The structure relies on the bracing acidity, not on the very light and almost nonexistent tannins. The finish is short, dry and dull with somewhat unclean flavors of gamey meat, some tart dark berries and a grainy hint of mousiness.
A big disappointment that is a far cry from the rather reductive but nevertheless quite enjoyable bottle we had only half a year ago. While both these wines were quite reductive upon opening, the earlier bottle opened up slowly, turning into a quite pleasant, light and fresh little wine. However, this bottle didn’t seem to budge, only slowly turned mousy with air. Not pricey at 26€, but this time didn’t deliver for the price. (69 pts.)
-
2016 Christophe Lefèvre Coteaux Champenois Azy Rouge - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (14.5.2021)
Made with organically farmed Pinot Noir from the Marne valley. Fermented spontaneously, aged in oak barrels. Bottled with a small dose (less than 30 mg/l) of SO2. The label doesn’t say anything about the vintage and the lot number is L02, but according to the shop where this wine was purchased from, this is 2016 vintage. 11,3% alcohol.
Noticeably pale and fully translucent light garnet color. Not particularly expressive, but still pleasantly red-toned, nuanced and attractive nose with fine-tuned aromas of ripe redcurrants and brambly raspberries, some sweet red apple tones, a little bit of wet stone minerality, light cherry tones, a sweeter hint of wizened dark berries and a touch of savory oak spice. The wine is firm yet seductively silky on the palate with bright, clean flavors of ripe cranberries and tart lingonberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of stony minerality, light steely mineral tones, a hint of quinine bitterness and a touch of juicy, sweet red cherries. The structure relies evenly on the bright, high acidity and the relatively grippy yet well-managed medium-plus tannins. The finish feels long, crisp and mouth-cleansing with crunchy flavors of lingonberries and sour cherry bitterness, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light ripe cranberry tones and a hint of steely minerality.
An excellent and even surprisingly structure-driven Coteaux Champenois with terrific sense of focus, purity and intensity. Still very bright and youthful at the moment, but you can taste this wine is developing into the right direction. Don’t let the outdated appearance of the label fool you - this is top-notch stuff. Solid value at 40,95€ (93 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker